Old Is New Again In School Lighting

Wildwood School needed a new facility in the land-locked Los Angeles district. SPF Architects from Culver City, California actually converted a 1940s-era warehouse into a learning center with a creative atmosphere. The design would feature the original wooden posts, beams and truss roof of the building in an open plan. The project needed luminaires that were efficient, secure, and fit logically with the design. SPF Architects worked with PEI Engineering of Agoura California to light the new 55,000 sq. ft. facility.
The popular “Retro” trend creates an opportunity for architects and engineers to try something new that’s old, utilizing high quality luminaires that might otherwise be considered too industrial for high style projects. PEI principle Parvis Ebrahimi, working with Dave Paladino of California Lighting Sales (http://www.californialightingsales.com/), decided to take advantage of Craft Lite® industrial luminaires from Paramount for ambient lighting in a number of locations in the school.

First introduced in 1947, Craft Lite luminaires are still current with energy efficient electronic T8 and T5 fluorescent technology (as well as our new Starduster® LED technology) . However, the core ruggedness of these products has never flagged. Exceptional durability provides trouble-free service in the school environment.

The Wildwood School project was featured in the October 2002 issue of Architecture Magazine. PEI has now utilized Craft Lite luminaires for several schools over the last few years. Craft Lite luminaires are being installed in current school projects down the West Coast from Washington to California. They’re also in schools in Iowa, Michigan, Indiana and across the country.

Paramount also specializes in custom design and manufacturing of industrial & commercial luminaires, which provides other opportunities in schools. In 2002, they developed an 8 lamp T5 fluorescent troffer that outperformed metal halide hi-bay lighting in 28 gyms across the entire district of Utica Community Schools in southeastern Michigan.